Safety device for elevators



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1Q J. HATCH. SAFETY DEVICE POB. ELEVATORS.

Patented Nov. 26, 1889 N. PETERS, Pholo-Lhhagmphqr. Wlbingtnll. D. C.

(N0 Model.) l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2..

J. HATCH. .SAFETY DEVICE EOE ELEVATOES.

No. 410,000. Patented Nov. 20, 1000..

FEE-0005.050'

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

v J. HATCH.

SAFETY DEVICE Fon ELEVATORS. No. 416,000. Patented Nov. 26,l 1889.

N. persas. Phmuuwpwh, wuhingm nc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.TOI-IN IIATOII, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,000, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed October 20,1888 Serial No. 288,709. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HATCH, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Frictional Safety Devices for Elevators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same.

My invention relates to a safety device for elevators, which is designed to gradually stop the movement of the elevator-car upon the breaking of the suspending-cable; and my invention consists in the constructions and combinations of devices, which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention,Figure l is a'front elevation showing the cage, guides, and clamping mechanism. Fig. 2 is a view looking at the apparatus from the side where one of the guides is located. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top of the cage. Fig. 4 is a perspective view. Fig. 5 is a sectional View.

A is the elevator-cage, which is of any suitable form or construction.

B B are the vertical guides between which it travels.

C is the cable by which the cage is suspended and operated.

Upon the top of the cage are pivoted four levers D, lying horizontally, with their ends extending beyond the edges of the top of the cage so as to extend upon each side of the guides B. To these projecting ends of the levers are Iixed the clamping-shoes E. In the present case I have shown the edges of the guides made beveled or V-shaped7 and corresponding grooves made in the clamps E, so that when they are pressed against the edges of the guides a very cbnsiderable friction will take place between the shoes and the guides. The inner ends of the levers D are connected by rods or links F with the crossbar G. This bar has a perforated central plate H, which `lits and travels on a vertical standard I, strongly secured to the top of the cage, and a strong spring J is compressed between the top of the center piece II and the adjusting-nuts K at the top of the standard, as shown.

A yoke L has its ends secured to the bar G,

standard I will be compressed, allowing the bars G to rise, and by means of the connecting-rods F the inner ends of the levers D will be drawn toward each other and turn about their fulcrum-pins. The outer ends will be correspondingly separated, thus drawing the clamping-shoes E away from the guides, so that while they will serve to guide the cage and keep it from swinging from side to side, they do not exercise any pressure upon the guides to prevent the cage moving freely up or down. If the rope should be suddenly slackened or broken, the yoke L being released, the spring J would instantly force the central plate H and its arms G downward, and through the connecting-rodsF the inner ends of the levers D would be forced apart, thus bringing the outer ends toward each other and forcing the clamps E to grasp the opposite edges of the vertical guide-timbers with great force. As these clamps or grips act in opposition to each other, it will be manifest that whatever weight there is upon the cage there will be no tendency to separate the guide-timbers so 'as to allow the cage to fall, and the heavy weight or the pressure upon the guides will be such as to gradually check the motion of the cage and finally stop it. In order, however, to supplement this force and insure the stopping of the cage, I have fulcrumed a second set of grippingclamps or shoes O to the bottom of the cage upon each side of the vertical guide-timbers. The upper ends of these shoes are connected by rods P with the outer ends of the levers D, and when any strain is brought upon these rods P it will be manifest from their connection with the upper ends of the grippingshoes that they will force these shoes inwardly and cause them to grip the guides. A strain is brought upon the rods P by their connection with the levers D because when the rope breaks or slackens the outer ends of the levers D being forced toward the guides so that the gripshoes E act to hold the cage, the outer ends ICO of the levers will be lifted upward somewhat by the upward pull lupon them by the shoes E, and thus actto pull upon the rods I) and cause the grips O to be thrown into contact with the guides. This compound action enables me to use a double series of clamps and to insure the stoppage of the elevator-cage in case of accident at any point where accident may occur. n

Q is a yoke, the vertical arms of which pass through the top of the cage upon eac-h side of the vertical standard I, and at the top these arms are guided by this standard, so that they clasp it below the perforated plate ll., These arms extend down into the upper part of the cage and are connected with the short arm of the lever R, fulcrumed in the upper part of the cage. lf an accident should occur and the cage should become checked at anypoint between stations, by the use of this lever the spring J, which acted to force the levers out and cause the grips to hold, can be compressed sufficiently to partially release the grips and allow the cage to move downward slowly and to any point where it may be desired to have itI stop. v

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with an elevator-Cage, the vertical guides between which it travels, and the suspending-rope and intermediate bar attached to the cage, the horizontal pivoted levers arranged in pairs upon the top of the cage and having gripping-shoes attached to their outer ends and adapted to bear upon the opposite sides of the guides, the togglejoint connections between thev inner ends of the levers and the suspendiiigbar, and the spring adapted to straighten out the togglejoint connections,whereby the gripping-shoes engage the guides, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with the elevator-cage, the vertical guides, and the suspending-rope and intermediate bar,o.l the horizontal levers having brake-shoes, the toggle-joint connection between the levers and suspending-bar, a second series of grips pivoted at their lower ends to the cars, whereby their upper ends may be moved to and from the guides, and the rods connecting said grips with the short arms of the horizontal levers, substantially as described.

The horizontal levers D, with the gripping-shoes E,which clasp the guides, the rods F, connecting their inner ends with the suspending-link, and the spring J, acting to force the suspending device downwardly when the rope becomes slack, in combination with the slide or yoke VQ, moving through the top of the cage, and the lever R, fulcrumed within the upper part of the cage, whereby t-he slide may be operated and the spring compressed, so as to release the grips, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HATCH.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, II. C. LEE. 

